Tag: psychology

I have been naturally growing and moving away from the compulsive desire to share (on the internet/social media) and to be seen/validated by strangers, or even people that I do know. That is one of the reasons this blog has sort of sputtered… However, it’s the third time I open the editor to write this post; I really feel a call to do it. So I’m giving in. 🙂

This is a gentle reminder about making the best choice we can when we feel pain, nerves, anger, frustration, stinging nostalgia, etc. Anything heavy. So much of all of those feelings is not by choice or intended to happen at any moment by us.

Most of the experience of emotional pain feels as though it’s just happening to us, especially in the moment. Even if in truth there are frames we use to see the world that affect how much something might affect us, that knowledge is not useful in the moment, once the feelings are in.

But even in moments of overwhelm, when it feels like every inch of our emotional plane is under assault by a feeling that is completely outside of our control, we can look for the sliver of space, just a crack. One millimeter of space is enough… This is where we can respond.

By placing our power in the sliver of space, by focusing on cultivating love and peace in that tiny part of us where we have control, we can coexist with our emotions while allowing them to run their course.

My experience with working within the sliver of space, the 3% of my emotional space, has been that eventually, the intensity of the 97% diminishes and what’s left is the peace and love.

Try not to judge yourself and just understand that we are each born within family, friendship and social systems that indoctrinate us with a variety of thought-patterns. Some of them create pain… It’s okay. All you need to build your peace is space as wide as a single strand of hair.